Finanza Toolbox Materials Checking Accounts When you open a checking account you put money in the bank. Then you buy a book of checks from the bank. Using checks keeps you from having to carry cash with you. You can use checks to pay in most stores. You can use checks to pay bills. Instead of carrying cash you carry a checkbook. New words to remember deposit check register insufficient funds bounced check balance minimum balance Why Would You Want to Use a Checking Account? Carrying large amounts of cash is not safe. Hiding cash in your home is risky. The money could be lost or taken from you. It is never safe to send cash in the mail. You can safely send a check in the mail. It is safe to deposit or put money in a checking account. How Checking Accounts Work When you write a check, you tell the bank to pay the amount of money written on the check. The amount of money on the check is taken from your account. The person or name written on the check will be paid the money. You must keep track of how much money you have in your account. You must have enough money in your account to pay for checks you write. An account has insufficient funds if it does not have enough money in it. Insufficient funds will cause bounced checks. Banks will charge you a fee for bounced checks. Bounced checks cannot be cashed. The company you wrote the check to can also charge you a fee. A bounced check can cost you a lot of money. If you bounce too many checks the bank will close your account. You may also get into legal trouble. You need to keep correct records for your checking account. You will need to write the amount of your check in your check register. A check register is a little book where you keep a record of the money in your checking account. Then subtract the amount of the check from your total amount. Some banks charge a fee for having a checking account. Subtract the fee from the total amount on your check register. See the following example: Check Register Date No. Transaction Deposit Amount Payment Amount Balance $ 500.00 2/29/08 100 electric company 75.00 425.00 3/2/08 101 rent 250.00 175.00 3/5/08 102 grocery store 56.00 119.00 3/7/08 deposit 300.00 419.00 The amount of money you have in your bank account is called the balance. Some banks require that you keep a minimum balance in your account. Minimum balance is the smallest amount of money you can have in your account at all Over Developed by the Geneseo Migrant Center Inc. Geneseo, NY 14454 with funding from the New York State Banking Department
times. If you have less than the minimum balance, you can be charged a fee. Ask questions about fees when you start an account. When you put money into your checking account it is called a deposit. The bank will give you a receipt when you make a deposit. Keep the receipts in a safe place. Write the amount of the deposit in your check register. Writing a Check The check will look like the example below. You will write the name of the person or company you are paying on the line that says, PAY TO THE ORDER OF. On the line below you will write in words the amount of the check. For example, if the check amount is $50.45, you will write fifty and 45/100. Name and address of person who can sign check Date Check number Who you are writing the check to Amount written in words Name and address of the bank Reason for check Jose Martinez 20 100 PAY TO THE ORDER OF $ dollars Citi Bank 222 Main Street FOR ⅰ:0210000021ⅰ: 440ⅲ50753ⅲ2ⅱⅠ 0100 Your checking account number Your signature Amount in numbers Jose Martinez May 19 20 08 100 PAY TO THE ORDER OF $ John Doe Lumbar Yard 75.82 dollars Seventy Five and 82 / 100 Citi Bank 222 Main Street FOR wood for kitchen trim ⅰ:0210000021ⅰ: 440ⅲ50753ⅲ2ⅱⅠ 0100 Jose Martinez Developed by the Geneseo Migrant Center Inc. Geneseo, NY 14454 with funding from the New York State Banking Department
Finanza Workshop Outline Checking Accounts Materials needed: Wipe board and wipe board markers Pencils Checkbook and check register Highlighters Finanza materials: Checking Accounts (Toolbox Topic, Skills Practice Worksheet, Pre/Post Survey) Elements Activities Notes Pre-Set Introduce topic Conduct Pre-Survey Introduce new vocabulary Do you pay your bills with cash? What is this? (Display checkbook - from bank or use your own) Students complete (oral or written) survey. Instructor writes vocabulary words on wipe board. Instructor and students repeat vocabulary words. Instruction Read Checking Accounts (if appropriate) Provide Toolbox Topic Checking Accounts. Instructor leads guided reading of topic. Concept Check Identify vocabulary words in reading Explain how checking accounts work Practice managing a checking account Explain insufficient funds Review vocabulary Conduct Post-Survey Students highlight definitions of new words. Instructor explains the process of establishing and using a checking account. Show checkbook and check register. Instructor demonstrates writing a check. Provide Skills Practice Worksheet. Instructor guides the students through practice with examples on worksheet. Instructor creates example of check register with insufficient funds and explains situation. Instructor provides additional subtraction examples if students need more practice. Instructor makes vocabulary cards randomly draws cards for students to define. Students complete (oral or written) Post- Survey. Workshop Guidelines: Complete attendance/sign-in document Record Pre/Post-Survey results if completed orally Time estimate 1 hour for adults less for children depending on grade (K 12) Developed by the Geneseo Migrant Center, Inc. Geneseo, NY 14454 with funding from the New York State Banking Department
Finanza Skills Practice Worksheet 1 Checking Accounts Cuentas de cheques Name/Nombre Date/Fecha Name and address of person who can sign check/ Nombre y dirección de la persona que puede firmar el cheque Date/ Check number/ Fecha Número del cheque Jose Martinez 101 Date 20 Pay to the SAMPLE/MUESTRA Order of $ Dollars Country Bank 222 Main St. For 0210000021 440 507532 0101 Your account number/ Reason for check/ Your Signature/ Número de su cuenta Motivo para el cheque Su Firma Name and address of the bank/ Nombre y dirección del banco Amount in numbers/ Cantidad en números Amount written in words/ Cantidad escrita con palabras Name of the person who will cash the check/ Nombre de la persona que cobrará el cheque Over/Continúa al reverso Developed by the Geneseo Migrant Center, Inc. Geneseo, NY 14454 with funding from the New York State Banking Department
Finanza Skills Practice Worksheet 2 Write a check to pay your rent for $550. Your landlord s name is John Doe. Escriba un cheque para pagar el alquiler por 550 dólares, a nombre de su casero, John Doe. Jose Martinez 102 Date 20 Pay to the Order of $ Dollars Country Bank 222 Main St. For 0210000021 440 507532 0102 Write a check for groceries at Wegmans for $45.69. Escriba un cheque para pagar por comida en Wegmans por 45.69 dólares. Jose Martinez 103 Date 20 Pay to the Order of $ Dollars Country Bank 222 Main St. For 0210000021 440 507532 0103 Developed by the Geneseo Migrant Center, Inc. Geneseo, NY 14454 with funding from the New York State Banking Department
Finanza Skills Practice Worksheet 3 Write a check to the Telephone Company for $26.47. Escriba un cheque para la Compañía de Teléfonos por 26.47 dólares. Jose Martinez 104 Date 20 Pay to the Order of $ Dollars Country Bank 222 Main St. For 0210000021 440 507532 0104 Record the information from the three checks you wrote in the register below. Your beginning balance is $700. Check Register Escriba la información de los tres cheques que escribió en el registro de abajo. El balance que tiene al principio es de 700 dólares. Registro de cheques Amount of Amount of Balance Date No. Transaction Deposit Payment $ ---- 101 Sample ---- ---- ---- 102 103 104 Developed by the Geneseo Migrant Center, Inc. Geneseo, NY 14454 with funding from the New York State Banking Department
Checking Accounts Date: Pre-Assessment Name: Circle the correct answer. 1. Can you use checks to pay your bills? Yes No 2. What kind of information might you find in a check register? a. the amount of a check you wrote b. your checking account balance c. the date you wrote a check d. all of the above 3. Which would you do to put money into your checking account? make a deposit write a check 4. An account with insufficient funds doesn t have enough money in it. True False 5. Is it safe to send a check through the mail? Yes No Total Correct: Developed by the National PASS Center for the Strategies, Opportunities and Services to Out of-school Youth (SOSOSY) and Math MATTERS (Math Achievement through Technology, Teacher Education, and Research-based Strategies) Migrant Education Program Consortium Grants (2013).
Checking Accounts Date: Post-Assessment Name: Circle the correct answer. 1. Can you use checks to pay your bills? Yes No 2. What kind of information might you find in a check register? a. the amount of a check you wrote b. your checking account balance c. the date you wrote a check d. all of the above 3. Which would you do to put money into your checking account? make a deposit write a check 4. An account with insufficient funds doesn t have enough money in it. True False 5. Is it safe to send a check through the mail? Yes No What can happen if you bounce checks? (not scored) Total Correct: Developed by the National PASS Center for the Strategies, Opportunities and Services to Out of-school Youth (SOSOSY) and Math MATTERS (Math Achievement through Technology, Teacher Education, and Research-based Strategies) Migrant Education Program Consortium Grants (2013).